Familiar Faces 2
by Delsch89
Summary: Mr. House was attacked and sends his best agent to Boston to take the fight to his enemy's turf. Ash has a more personal reason for undertaking the mission, as Dean Domino was kidnapped during the attack and she has no intention of letting him disappear again. [discontinued here, check profile]
1. Chapter 1

Ash stared at the fallen buildings around her, resting her chin in her palm while sitting on top of the old mailbox that had fallen to the ground probably since before the bombs. A good amount of travellers and securitrons wandered around in the old pre-war settlement, investigating every corner but so far none had returned to her with bad news. The place seemed quite alright for an outpost or a settlement even. There was plenty of fresh water from the river, good view in all directions, good farming land... it was almost too perfect. At best they had found a Mr. Handy who had been roaming around, confused but it didn't seem to mind their being in the area. The poor thing was still waiting for its owner to come back and since they had mentioned over 200 years, Ash was pretty sure its owner in fact _wouldn't_ return. Something she had had no luck convincing the robot of.

One of the women walking around, changed route and started to walk towards Ash, who sat up properly. The blonde woman carried a folder with a notebook on, scribbling something in it as she walked. Named Carina, she was essentially Ash's right hand on this mission; one of the more intelligent people around here as Mr. House had said. While she was short, she had a fierce temper that made her the perfect right hand.

" **Ash** ," Carina started as she stopped in front of the other woman. " **I'd say we should build the outpost here. The area's excellent and I don't think we'll find a better spot closer to Boston. Besides, the quicker we can work together a means to send a message back to Mr. House, the better.** " Ash arched an eyebrow at the last bit; the odds of them being able to contact House at all were slim at best. Something he had been aware of when sending them off like this.

 **"** **It's settled then. We'll build it here,** " the Courier nodded. **"Set up the securitrons on a perimeter so that the rest of us can work undisturbed. I can't imagine we haven't attracted attention already.** " She stood up, as Carina nodded, moving to do as ordered with fast steps. Time was of the essence here. It had already taken them a very long time to reach Boston at all.

Almost eight months it had taken them to cross the country, or rather what remained of it. It was no wonder all the humanoids in the group were tired and impatient. With no stability for a near year – even with securitrons on their side, the trip had strained nerves and bodies all the same. Two had been lost on the walk but House would have called that efficient travelling considering 14 remained, not to mention the 10 securitrons and four brahmin. Their 'success' was only thanks to the securitrons and wise detours around dangerous territories, despite her will to be as fast as possible. She certainly had her _reasons_ to speed things up and it had all been started by what she had thought would be a simple job, so many months ago.

 **"** **Ash, as much as I require your assistance in New Vegas, there is a new pressing matter to deal with that will take you beyond the Mojave,"** Mr. House said. **"It is in fact the most important and biggest task I have given you yet."** Ash, holding the NCR ranger helmet between her side and arm couldn't help but put on a sceptical display on her face at that. Taking down that Brotherhood bunker, more or less infiltrating the Legion camp... none of those things struck her as small and insignificant. Besides, House had kept her unusually close the last two weeks. So close in fact she had barely set a foot outside New Vegas or barely outside the Lucky 38 itself. Not something she normally had been bothered with, after all it was her job to keep close, but it kept her away from Dean. A silly complaint that she kept to herself, mentioning it to House would earn her nothing but a not so subtle show of disapproval and questions of her loyalty.

Still, it had been only two weeks since she and Dean had finished their last business... where everything seemed like it'd give her a break already. His dealing with Angryl still gave her a chuckle whenever she thought about it, especially since the man has positively disappeared afterwards. For a moment, Ash had suspected foul play from Dean but he had insisted on being innocent in that regard. The fool she might be, she believed him.

 **"** **My scouts have collected disconcerting data from the places outside of the Mojave for some time now,"** House continued. **"Strange attacks in other nearby cities... attacks that have now reached New Vegas and me. Something or someone attempted to hack my entire network nine days ago. They didn't succeed of course but the attack lasted long enough for me to take my watchful eye of off New Vegas. More of these people made away with a lot of valuable pre-war objects and citizens. It is a complete affront to me and I** ** _will not_** **stand it!"**

Ash's gaze fell towards the floor for awhile, pondering who had the nerve or even strength to attack House. She couldn't even imagine there being a way at all but clearly she had been mistaken. She was glad House had managed to fend them off but his words quickly made a worrying thought grow in her head and it wasn't one out of concern for her boss.

 **"** **My securitrons did manage to capture one of the thieves but the savage was a stubborn fool. All I got out of him were threats about their return and that they were bigger than anything else I have faced before. I would have you talk to him but the man committed suicide while locked up. I will give these people this much; they are incredibly loyal."**

 **"** **You sound like you admire them,"** Ash piped up, having noticed that in his tone. His voice was all she had to try and judge his emotions, as few of them he seemed to still have. She figured she was pretty good at reading his tone too, something she took pride in.

 **"** **I can admire their sense of loyalty. It has always been an important part of whom I select to work for me, something** ** _you_** **know well. It does not, however, mean that I will let this go unpunished. I aim to take the fight to their domain.**

 **Now it has come to my attention that a large caravan departed from New Vegas a week ago. I have spent the last days investigating what identity they had and which direction they are heading and it is as I suspected. They are the ones responsible for the attack. You are going to follow them... but not to kill them. You will follow them to their destination which is Boston and take them out from there."**

 **"** **... Say what?"** Ash interrupted, looking dumbfounded for a moment. _Boston_? **"Perhaps my geography is rusty but... isn't that a very long way from here?"**

 **"** **East coast."**

Ash sharply inhaled before taking a step closer to the screen, brow furrowing. She couldn't believe what she was hearing; being sent to the East coast... it'd take her away from everything she knew. If she'd even survive the trip... let alone ever make it back! Already the realization was sinking in, making her fingers tremble in tension and fear.

 **"** **East coast? You're sending me to the** ** _East coast?_** **That's across the whole damn country! How am I supposed to make that walk and –"**

 **"** **Silence,"** House demanded. **"You** ** _will_** **make that walk. I am not sending you alone; I am giving you a caravan of your own. Everything and every person you will need to make the trip and survive it. I have but a few days left to finish upgrading the last of the ten securitrons I have designed for this trip. They are better equipped to handle such a long walk and will protect the caravan, even against greater assaults. I am not to see my first caravan sent to the East Coast** ** _fail_** **."**

Stuttering, Ash put her hand to her face, groaning underneath it. **"But...** ** _why_** **? Why do this at all? Just wait for them to come back, prepare yourself and be stronger than them! You're demanding me to leave everything I know here for what... for, for** ** _revenge_** **?"**

 **"** **This is** ** _not_** **about revenge and it** ** _disgusts_** **me that you think I am capable of such a barbaric act. It is a sound tactical choice, to send out my best people to their territory and deal with them there, before they become strong enough to attack me again. If I fall, Ash, all of New Vegas will fall. All I have worked for, all** ** _you_** **have done for me will be for nothing. And if that is not enough to make you do this, even with me ordering you to, you should know that the Tops lost their greatest entertainer during this attack. A name I believe you are well acquainted with. Dean Domino? Never much cared for his music back in the day, not as much as I know** ** _you_** **care."**

 **"** **Dean was kidnapped by these people?"** Ash asked flatly, eyes narrowing. **"You knew this for how long?"**

 **"** **Since the attack happened. I did not tell you because I knew you would run after them, unprepared and filled with hormonal rage. I need you alive, not dead. This way you stand a much greater chance of reaching Boston to carry out my orders and rescue any of the citizens they took with them."**

Ash felt a pressure build up in her nose and eyes that she hadn't felt a long time; closing her eyes hard to prevent her outburst from becoming an even more emotional one than it already was. This explained why she had barely been able to leave the Lucky 38. Essentially, House had kept her under house arrest and that made her furious.

 **"** **Had I know... I could have stopped it,** " she nearly growled at the screen.

 **"** **And have died. I have already made my reasoning clear; it is up to you to accept it. Correct me if I am wrong, but you do not want anything to happen to New Vegas or your friend, do you?"**

 **"** **Oh, shut up, I'll do it. I have little choice, don't I?"**

 **"** **I will treat that as an uncontrolled outburst because you are upset. You are correct. We will speak later. Decide on one or two of your companions that you want to bring along. The rest I will pick from the very best that New Vegas can offer.** "

 **"** **Right. Are we done here?"**

 **"** **Watch that tone, I would hate having to remind you of your place before you leave. Go back to the suite."**

Ash obeyed, with great irritation and with the feeling of being nothing but a pawn in a much larger game than she had anticipated when first walking into House's office; which wouldn't be the first time either... and now she wondered why she had sided with House at all. He had been right about one thing though. It _would_ be the most demanding job of her than it ever had been.

It had taken her weeks after that to even get over the shock and anger. Fed with only a few more titbits of information and an order to set up small control towers along the way where none'd hopefully try and destroy them, she had made the trip to Boston along with the others. Now they were entirely on their own and with very little to go on, except vague hints and a possible ally that House had mentioned existed in Boston.

Eight months of hard work and she knew it was first _now_ the _really_ hard work would begin. Thank god that House himself wasn't here; she would have attempted to throttle the screen carrying his smug face if so was the case.

 **"** **You're looking very tense, boss,"** the ghoul voice startled her out of her thoughts and she looked briefly back at Raul eyeing her from a short distance.

 **"** **Tell me something I don't know,"** she replied, incredibly thankful Raul had not been one of the ghouls kidnapped. His age would have fit the bill but he had been stuck in the Lucky 38 along with her and thus safe. It was bad enough she had lost Dean in the process... when she had finally found him again. There were so many unspoken things left between them and now she wasn't even sure if she'd ever see him again. That thought was a lot more terrifying now than it had been after their separation in the Sierra Madre. So much more was at stake this time and even then, time itself hadn't changed what she felt towards him. One thing was sure, if she did find him again she wouldn't hesitate to tell him this time.

 **"** **We just got here and there's still so much else to do. That and I know next to nothing about Boston or these lands. They're completely new to me and what's worse, there's already rumours of something terrible happening here,** " she continued, gesturing out towards the landscape they faced below. Raul tapped the side of his temple, lifting an eyebrow; what remained of it.

 **"** **Watch it or you're gonna become as loco as this old man,"** he smirked. **"One thing at the time, that's always what I try to do. Besides, you got a bunch of great allies here. Even Blake's warmed up to you and that's saying a lot, the kid hates all smoothskins."**

Blake had been another choice of hers, it hadn't felt right to pull the others up from the Mojave and the only reason Raul was along was because he more or less followed her right into the Caravan until she said yes. That and Ash couldn't imagine making the long trip without Raul; he was one of the very few reminders of the Mojave she had left now... no matter guilty as she felt about dragging the old man with her.

Blake was already a mercenary and a damn good one. Besides, according to himself, he had nothing better to do than to do a suicide walk across the country. Running her hand over the right side of her head – a side she had started to shave down to the skin, leaving only the top and left side with hair that reached to the middle of her neck – she tried to spot Blake somewhere among the others but failing. Instead she looked back at Raul.

 **"** **We're going to build the outpost in this old town; it's probably the best place for it. What do you think?"** she asked him, genuinely curious on his opinion but she was met with a shrug.

 **"** **I let the younger people like yourself make the decisions here. But if we're staying here, I can go find something we can roast over the fire later. Must be better wild life here than in the Mojave."**

 **"** **Just be careful, we haven't scouted the place properly yet,"** Ash nodded to him while having walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder gently in poorly hidden concern.

 **"** **I'm always careful,"** he pointed out to which she chuckled, removing her hand, making an 'uh-uh' sound. With that she kept walking forward, eyes scanning the people around them. A glance over her shoulder told her that Raul had started to move too, making good on his words. She choked down the concern she felt again, deciding against it – Raul had survived for 200 years before she found him after all. She should probably focus her concern on Blake if anyone then, the man was as hot headed as a deathclaw at times.

She spotted him on top one of the few remaining buildings and she made her way there, slowly scaling the tilting, broken walls. It was harder said than done and she slipped, her fingers clutching onto one of the open windows from the wall. The sudden sound made Blake alert to her presence but he made no attempt to help her as he glanced at her. Ash crawled the last of the way up, coming to stand next to him and brushing off her hands.

 **"** **Well, this is a nice view you found,** " she commented; she did mean it though, from here a lot of the land ahead of them were revealed. Old trees, scattered buildings and the city of Boston in the distance. It wasn't as great as the Mojave though but Ash doubted much could be. It certainly was colder than the Mojave at least. Her old ranger coat helped her keep warm but she wasn't looking forward to the possibility of... snow was it? She had only heard tales of the substance... and a lot of talk about nuclear winters but they certainly didn't need one of those.

 **"** **If by nice, you mean that I can see everything vital from here, then yes,"** Blake replied. The black tufts of hair across his skull had grown a bit less since they started the trip... Ash wondered if that was due to the actual long time spent outdoors or if his ghoulism was slowly progressing still. Nothing she'd dare to ask, she simply knew he was a recent developed ghoul from the other ghouls he had protected once in New Vegas. Short in words, aggressive and only ever talking about business; Ash found him valuable in his own way, even if his social skills had much left to be desired. But it helped her to keep her mind on the business too and not having her thoughts take over with all the 'ifs' she saw in their mission.

Ash broke the further silence by announcing to him that this were to be their outpost and current home in the Commonwealth – and what they knew so far about the area – but unless he had other plans...

The question only added another long silence before the man shook his head.

 **"** **No, I'll stay here for as long as you need me,"** he said in the end.

 **"** **That might be a very long time still,"** Ash smirked. The ghoul shrugged.

 **"** **I'm immortal anyway."**

* * *

 **OOC: I just wanted to say thanks to those who welcomed me back, I'm honestly surprised anyone's still left that remember that fanfic. But it's nice to see some old readers!**


	2. Chapter 2

Ash brought down her rifle, staring the Diamond City guard straight in the eyes. Long enough for things to become uncomfortable and he shifted his gaze, prompting her to motion towards him with her hand.

" **Are you just screwing with me or are you actually a dick?"** she asked him with a tone that said she couldn't believe her ears. Behind her, Raul exchanged a look with the other man she had brought along. Matt, as was his name, was a younger, blonde man, eager to see some action and had been particularly loyal to Mr. House and thus allowed to be brought along to the Commonwealth. Ash's first idea would have been to bring Blake here but she figured he'd be better off guarding the camp... besides, his manners could be worked on first. After what she had just heard though, she almost wish she had brought him after all.

" **No, ma'am, you can't bring in the ghoul. They're not allowed** ," the Diamond City guard insisted. " **Please don't wave the gun around either, you're not helping.** "

" **Oh,** ** _I'm_** **not helping?** ** _You're_** **not helping. If you think I'll go into your city, you got another thing coming. You're in other words refusing Mr. House** ** _and_** **in turn New Vegas access to your city,"** Ash persisted, giving the man an indignant look; eyeing him from the top to the bottom and back up again, eyes narrowed. Her patience in regards to how ghouls, or any mutant, were treated had reached its limit a long time ago and few things brought her ire forth quicker than bigots.

The man looked uncertain, meaning he had at least heard of either name. Ash wasn't sure whether to be surprised about that or not but it had been a week since their arrival and rumours were already spreading. Some even called it an invasion. There had even been one or two attacks on their camp, meaning that the securitrons had acted and that certainly didn't help their case... when people were being blown up nearby. Though talking to this man, Ash wondered if they didn't deserve it. An evil thought she quickly dismissed.

 **"** **I'm sorry, ma'am, the major wouldn't allow it. The ghoul stays out here,"** he shook his head again. Raul, already seeing Ash's shoulders tense, put his hand on the right one.

 **"** **Boss, I'll just stay out he –"**

 **"** **No, you do** ** _not_** **, Raul. I won't cave for this kind of bullshit, I tired of it back home and I'm already tired of it here! We're leaving."** With that Ash turned on the heel, stomping out of the old market. The guard looked at the other two before they turned and left as well, having to jog a little to catch up with Ash.

" **Boss,** ** _really_**..." Raul groaned; this had become one of her less than fond developments over the years, her impatience in regards to people. At the same time, he couldn't blame her and he didn't appreciate being treated like that either but that's just how things were. Ash was looking to change a world that simply wouldn't change, no matter how much she pushed for it.

" **I'm sure we can do without those people anyway, you think they'd help us find a ghoul?** ** _Several_** **of them? We've been here a week and so far no one is willing to even much talk to us, let alone help us,"** Ash retorted, furiously swinging her arm towards the gate behind them.

" **Might be because we have a ghoul with us** ," Matt suggested; it earned him a glare followed by a sigh from the woman.

" **I hate to admit it but you might have a point... a ridiculous point though. Why should that even matter."** She didn't ask it, didn't need to, she knew why it mattered. It was always the same. " **But it's not only that. People here seem so damn terrified of things. What did someone say, the Institute or something? Even mentioning the word** ** _kidnapped_** **and people recoil like lakelurks during the dry season**."

Dejected, she kicked a rock on the ground, watching it bounce away on the old pavement before a motion from Matt, along with his question made her look up.

 **"** **What's that?"**

Ash squinted at what seemed to be... a ship of some kind. A flying ship but it didn't match any other flying vehicles she had seen before. Until she spotted a smaller one edge around it, a vertibird. A loud, booming voice erupted from the large ship as if to answer, accompanied by the scratching sound of a microphone.

 _People of the Commonwealth. Do not interfere. Our intentions are peaceful. We are the Brotherhood of Steel._

Raul made a face while Ash let out a low squeak in poorly hidden terror, nearly dropping the weapon in her hands; instead clutching it to her chest.

" ** _Oh_** ," Matt swallowed hard; any employee to House knew very well that the Brotherhood of Steel were bad news though no one knew the full details of what had happened to the Mojave chapter of them, only that House had been responsible.

Ash knew however and it was a tightly held back secret that already were sending chills down her back in the form of cold sweat. Ever since she had been forced to deal with them in the Mojave, an unreasonable fear had taken hold of her whenever they were around. A fear that had only matched Deathclaws before and while she had managed to learn to deal with those beasts... the Brotherhood were still something she worked on – failing on rather.

" **This is very bad news,"** she muttered. " **What are they even doing here?!**

" **I suppose we can't ask them for help then,"** Raul shrugged, ignoring both Ash and Matt's lifted eyebrows as they stared back at him. " **Relax, just a joke."**

" **We need to go back to camp right now** ," Ash waved it off, crouching down to hang the rifle onto her backpack. While she had her old anti-material rifle with her to the Commonwealth; with its size and weight, it didn't do well for fast travelling and the scoped rifle she carried with her now was her second favourite anyway. It hadn't seen much action so far, but the Commonwealth was more populated than the Mojave even when outside the city grounds. It wasn't a desert after all, so it was cleared out more often on the basis of wild life. Raiders, that was another whole matter but they had lucked out on them as well.

Or perhaps the rumour had already spread about them being god knew what, spies or an invasion force. Or perhaps even aiding this dreaded Institute that she heard pop up occasionally and that seemed to scare the locals senseless.

The courier looked up again, as the shadow from the ship above covered the entire city block. A giant monster blocking out the sun itself and she briefly wondered if this is how the sky had looked during the war. A lot more explosions perhaps.

" **What is that thing anyway?"** she asked, turning her attention to Raul as she stood up again, swinging the bag over her shoulders again. He was pre-war after all, a valued friend but she had to admit his knowledge about the times before the war were valuable at times.

" **Looks like an airship** ," the ghoul replied, still looking up towards it as it slowly made its path across the sky. He looked grim, which was unusual for him. To Ash, he was an unmoveable rock who didn't much show concern about anything because he was 'too old for it'. " **Think it's the smaller ones we should worry about though** ," he added at her confused look towards him.

" **The vertibirds? They're no match for the securitrons, right?"** Matt asked, taking the rear as Ash started to walk again.

" **Don't know. They haven't been tested against anything flying but Mr. House claims they're anti-air too when needed** ," Ash replied, giving the fliers another look, before focusing on the road ahead of them. " **Just pray to whatever that they aren't here for us. Because getting that whole thing at our camp might be too much."**

" **Hell, can that thing even land?"** Matt gave the airship a perplexed look before both he and Ash glanced over at Raul.

" **I'm a poorly made Spanish book, not an airship book, kids** ," the ghoul frowned. The humans continued forward, while he took the rear and glancing over his shoulder a few times. It wasn't purely because of the Brotherhood now though, the ship was moving forward with a goal in mind that wasn't them at the moment. They were watched by something and as much as he claimed his eyesight was shit, he was sure he was picking up motions behind them. Resting his hand over one of his holstered pistols, he scowled at not being able to spot anything distinct though.

As they crossed the main bridge taking them away from Diamond city and back to the north-west, a hooded figure stood up from its perch on the roof of a building behind them. Resting a black, sleek sniper rifle against their shoulder, they watched the group on the bridge. A grey, wolf looking hound pressed against their beige suit pants, tongue sticking out in glee at being petted by its master.

* * *

The ghoul stuck his fingers into the water of the bath tub; an old, rusty thing but at least the water was decently warm. Lukewarm, more like it but it'd be his first bath in a very long time, over half a year. It was a good thing he already was a ghoul, no one would ask twice if he smelled or not, they all assumed ghouls already did that. Most did, he didn't... as much. Just as with his drier skin, he assumed it was a quality that the Cloud in the Sierra Madre had _blessed_ him with. To be less disgusting than the rest of his kind. Talk about a blessing hidden inside a curse.

He abruptly pulled his hand back up, almost angrily throwing water onto the wall nearby before starting to undress. The room _was_ actually a legit bathroom, he had noticed that the moment he had stepped inside, locking the door behind him. Not a shack, not even a half crumbling pre-war bathroom. This reminded him more of a vault bathroom, like the one he had seen in New Vegas, the one being run as a tourist attraction. The whole place he had been put in reminded him a great deal of the same thing for that matter. After the long trip across, what he assumed had been the whole god damn country (nothing else could take that long to cross) his foremost focus hadn't been whether it was a basic building or a vault they had all been ushered into... and yes, there had been a great deal of them in the group. All ghouls, except their kidnappers. People that Dean had no kind eye to at all and he made his protest known vocally and physically every time he could. Something that had taken a lot of his energy... and given him a few bruises but at least he could comfort himself with the fact that he hadn't been the only upset one.

No, this bath was sorely needed and he had already waited half a day for it; with the queue before entering the room. Everyone wanted a chance at the bath tub of course and there were only a few bathrooms it seemed. A detail he'd rather not think about, sharing the bath tub with so many people in one day. Sinking into the water with a sigh, he waited a few minutes before he started to scrub at his skin; to try and get rid of some of the travel dust at least. That and long dead skin cells, humans had no idea how lucky they were and it had taken Dean himself a long time to get used to seeing flakes of his own skin fall off every time he took a bath. And yet, his arms never altered in size, whatever skin and cells fell off, they always grew back. Constant regeneration, a supposedly perk but it had kept him alive for so long too. Thank god it didn't hurt at least, not more than a bothersome itch for awhile.

With a moment to himself, he could finally gather his thoughts; practice his so excellent focus. The day he had been kidnapped, a dreadful, exhausting day. All the fighting from the ghouls who had no wish to be thrown into the mix of pre-war items, who didn't want to leave New Vegas. Not all had survived the first days of scuffling and trying to escape and while he had been angry himself and protesting, Dean had never gone so far as to actually grab a weapon or make a run for it. With their kidnappers having been quite a few and armed to boot, he knew it'd be foolish to even try it. At least he was a patient man; nothing to lose with biding his time and slowly work on another method. But it had proven more difficult than he had thought and as weeks passed, he knew it'd be too difficult for him to reach New Vegas again alone. This orderly show he had been dragged into would have to be his new tour for now, wherever that'd take him.

He _still_ didn't know exactly where they were now, only that it had to be far, far away from New Vegas and even the West Coast. Dean rubbed the bridge of his nose, his own thoughts were going around in circles; focusing wasn't that easy actually. So much had been lost, again, he was getting tired of losing things he liked and being uprooted over and over. Sure, the Madre he had grown tired of after 200 years but New Vegas had just started! An adoring crowd, music to sing to, not too annoying people and then there was Ash. He rarely thought of her now, not because he didn't want to but because doing so was... oddly painful. It bothered him just how much his chest tightened at the idea of her in New Vegas. How he didn't know what she was up to, was she even still alive? Did she think _he_ was dead? Because he knew that'd break her little naive heart. But that also meant there was no chance of them ever seeing each other again, unless he could get back to New Vegas somehow.

Dean swallowed deeply, so deeply he was afraid the queue outside the door would hear it, trying to bury that daunting thought.

" **One thing at the time, Dean** ," he muttered to himself while calmly gesturing with his palms outwards, going back to an even older habit, talking to himself. " **Figure this place out, the people, the one in charge... not the first time you've faced a difficult score and audience**."

Yes, that was exactly what he'd do. Taking a deep breath, he finished up the bath; scrubbing his broken skin hard because who knew when he'd actually get a chance for a bath again. Stepping out of the tub, he realised that his clothes were a sorry excuse of their former selves, wondering if they'd even be allowed new clothing here. New place, new rules and Dean corrected the collar of his jacket with a new confidence. He'd win over this place as easily as he had the Madre.

Stepping out from the bathroom, he passed the ghouls that had accompanied him; along with the rare smoothskin. Neither said anything; all looking harrowed and tired. He couldn't blame them but they were not of his concern and he wasn't going to allow them any pity. That mistake he had done in the Madre too in the start and it always ended the same way, fights, betrayal and death. People were hopeless when it came to cooperating and the good souls were as rare as gem stones on a mountain top. He didn't expect to find any of them here.

Of course he was stopped by guards the moment he tried to leave the corridor the queues were in, instead motioned towards a larger hall; told to wait until the others were done because their 'new leader' wanted a word with everyone before they would be given their assigned quarters.

That wait was near torture; moments of anxiety spiking at his thoughts. Waiting he did well under normal circumstances... when he knew the place, the scenario and the rules. So far they had all eluded him. As time went, people flocked into the room; there had to be 40 of them or so; not counting the blasted guards along the walls themselves. Folding his arms, Dean kept a stern gaze towards the staircase in the room, the only elevated area in the room and where more guards had gathered. He doubted an announcement would happen anywhere else and he wasn't wrong either.

A tall, elegant woman strode down the upper stairs; her velvet dress sliding down the steps behind her, a dress that matched her long, fiery red hair. Stopping shortly where she could be seen by everyone, she gently grasped her hands in front of herself, smiling down at the angry, if at least refreshed people.

" **Welcome. I know the trip has been difficult for you, so I won't be taking up much of your time. I can also venture a guess that a lot of you are angry and confused about what has happened."** Her tone was enchanting, a perfect level to get people's attention... Dean recognised her type right away. A silver-tongued performer. Perhaps because that was very much himself too... but at least he had never resorted to kidnapping people. Close but not quite there yet.

" **Rest assured we mean you no harm and eventually those of you who wish to leave... will be free to do so** ," the woman continued sweetly. There was a murmur in the crowd before one spoke up, asking to be set free at once. That one crier was enough to set the rest on the loose, questions thrown across the room, each one more desperate than the next to be heard.

" **Please, please,"** the woman called out over the noise, raising her hands and waiting until the room fell silent again. " **Your questions will be answered in due time. But I must remind you, it's very important that you don't leave just yet. Our guards will be forced to take extreme measures if you try to do so. I know how that must sound but in time, you'll understand and you will see why we're doing this."**

She tilted her head, a stressed frown on her face at the previous noise and she quickly departed back up the stairs and to the second floor. Her absence restarted the noise from most of the people; some even screaming to be heard. Dean remained silent, standing around in slight disbelief at the utter absurdity of the situation.

It wasn't until a gun shot rang off that he visibly winched, automatically reaching for his own holster that he no longer had. One of the guards had apparently had enough and left off a shot right in the roof. It worked too... for now at least.

" **Keep calm and quiet. We're now going to assign you to your rooms so you can all settle down and we can all get some rest after the long trip. Please, you'll be doing us all a bloody favour, okay?"** he called out, not so much out of anger, but rather a demanding need to get some rest. They all needed it.

Dean sighed; answers wouldn't be arriving any time soon by the looks of it as the man started to read up each name along with a room number. Wherever they were... it had been built to room a lot of people, for sure, if they could all be offered their own quarters.

How utterly kind.

* * *

 **OOC: I've moved houses since starting this and it's first now I've felt any peace to sit down and write. Beyond that, as I won't repeat my last writing with a bunch of excuses each and every time, keep in mind I AM slow with this. I'm a slow updater. It can be weeks/months between updates, especially since I'm also trying to write an original book at the same time.**

 **Thank you for the kind words! Also, anyone who can guess whom the dog owner is gets a cookie. Well, a virtual imaginary cookie but still.**


End file.
